NI firm needs your vote in UK-wide business promotion

Deborah Meaden - Judge

Published:14:42Tuesday 15 March 2016

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Milgro, the onion people, who are based in Limavady are among 11 promising young businesses from across the UK which have been shortlisted for the finals of Local Business Accelerators - the regional press campaign to boost local business.

Judges from the top of the business community reviewed the LBA nominated businesses and whittled them down to create the regions and nations shortlist of 11 businesses from across the UK.

The LBA Nations and Regions shortlist is:

East Midlands, Credit Assist, Northants Telegraph

Eastern, FXHOME, Eastern Daily Press

London and South East, Creative Nature, Surrey Advertiser

North East, Logic Architecture, Teesside Gazette

North West, Beech Holdings, Manchester Evening News

Northern Ireland, Milgro, Farming Life (News Letter)

Scotland, Administrate, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday

South West, Blue Bee Solutions, Salisbury Journal

Wales, Dioni, Daily Post

West Midlands, Natural Dogs Direct, Burton Mail

Yorkshire and the Humber, The Yorkshire Wagyu Company, The York Press

Today (Tuesday 15 March) the People’s Choice Vote will launch, showcasing all the shortlisted businesses. The vote will be live for a week (15 -21 March) and will enable the public to vote for their favourite local business. The business with the most votes will be crowned the People’s Choice winner, an additional award to the LBA overall winner.

The businesses were judged on criteria including originality of the business idea, their finances, communication skills, contribution to the local community, and their potential to benefit from free local newspaper advertising.

One outstanding business will go on to be crowned the overall winner of the competition and claim a prize package which includes business mentoring from Dragon’s Den Star Deborah Meaden and free advertising in their local paper, as well as £1,000 worth of business advice from an ICAEW chartered accountant and free entry to three CBI events for small businesses. The overall LBA winner and People’s Choice winner will be announced on Thursday 31 March.